


I Wanna Tell You (Be Brave)

by soniagiris



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair, Amami Rantarou/Toujo Kirumi - mentioned, Awkward Flirting, Chabashira Tenko/Iruma Miu - mentioned, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Getting Together, Matchmaking, Multi, Munakata Kyosuke/Yukizome Chisa - mentioned, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Playlist Available, Texting, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000, drvalentines2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 18:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10314287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soniagiris/pseuds/soniagiris
Summary: Kaede doubts her life choices, Shuichi doubts his friend choices, Mukuro is gay, and Sayaka has too much fun.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ikuzonos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikuzonos/gifts).



>   * [playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpbG9rKmA09l2EMOEVuO24zzN1YYyXcF1)
>   * written for drvalentines2017 exchange for my dear friend vee whom i love a lot
>   * forgot to mention: thanks for beta reading to [star](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Dunyazad/pseuds/Dunyazad), hon, i owe you my life. also, go check out their work(s), they're the best.
> 


If someone had told Kaede that, during her oh-so-unironically enjoyable three years of attending Hope's Peak, she's going to find herself becoming such BFFs with the SHSL Idol to the point that they'd end up making piano-and-vocal covers of dumb American songs at four AM sharp…

Well. If someone had told her that, Kaede would have believed them without batting an eyelash. After all, when she was but a wee child, she often nagged her neighbor, once an SHSL Farmer, so he'd tell her weird stories about this bananas school. And, as a bright-eyed sixteen-year-old pianist with an acceptance letter in her sweaty hand, she walked into the school with zero fricks given, allowing her to instantly hit it up with Maizono-senpai and Mioda-chan ("Ibuki!" the girl insisted, to no avail). 

And that's how she's now lying on the stage, hastily printed out sheet music shielding her eyes from the lights, Maizono-senpai typing on her laptop and sipping a smoothie a few meters away, and a sense of bitter regret washing over her.

"Okay, I uploaded the last one," Maizono-senpai says after a while. "Oh my, if only my old managed knew what I've done…" She giggles fondly and pets Kaede's still hand. "Thank you, Akamatsu-chan.”

"No problem," Kaede forces out. Shoot, it's been a while since her last all-nighter. To be exact, a whole month since she prepared for the mid-term practical exam so hard her fingers got numb. And, at that time, in her miserable state, she accidentally dropped her phone on the stairs and could only watch it bounce off the wall and somehow hit Naegi-senpai on the head. The poor boy looked resigned while telling her not to worry, such was the fate of being the SHSL Unlucky Boy. This caused him to be promptly stared down by Kirigiri-senpai.

Kaede sighs and raises the papers from her face, watching Maizono-senpai put their vaguely music-resembling extravaganza on NicoNico. 

Yeah. The best school in the entire country. Sure. 

"What do we do now?" she tiredly asks as Maizono-senpai lays down by her side and kicks her legs in the air. "Go to sleep?"

"Mm, if we tried sneaking back to our rooms," Maizono-senpai puts her finger to her mouth, "Ishimaru-kun would probably wake up and scold us. And threaten us with… something. Ugh, my creativity got drained, I have no idea what he could do. Or what we can do. Let's… gossip!”

"Gossip?" Kaede frowns slightly. "About what?”

"Akamatsu-chan, don't be such a stick in the mud!” Maizono-senpai throws a victory sign in the direction of the ceiling."And don't think about me as Maizono-senpai!" Before Kaede can go 'eh?' at that, Maizono-san adds without much left of previous conviction, "We can gossip about… um… boys?"

"Boys?” Kaede repeats mindlessly, her thoughts already tangling around that one particular boy, his delicate features and gentle voice, and how once she held his hand as he talked about his past…

"Um, we can talk about girls, too!" Maizono-san adds in a hurry, apparently confusing Kaede's thoughtfulness with discomfort. "To be honest, there's a girl that I like—" 

She cuts off. Kaede blinks at her.

"What."

"Oh gosh." Maizono-san flips over to her stomach and hides her face in hands. "Why on earth can't I come out like a normal human being."

"It's okay, it's okay!” Kaede reassures her and finds herself a bit curious. Who would be capable of piquing Maizono-san's interest? After all, she's one of the cutest girls in the school, even now, when she's wearing pajamas and lopsided ponytails. Well. Not like Kaede's any fancier. 

"Thank you, sweetheart…" Maizono-san sends her a small smile. "You're too good for this earth. If you did get someone on your mind, they're pretty lucky."

"Well, yeah, there's someone…" Kaede affirms shily. 

"Mind telling me who?”

"Y-you first!”

Maizono-san sighs. Then shakes her head in defeat, but she's still smiling.

"Mukuro-chan."

"Saihara-kun."

"Oh my, he's sweet!” Maizono-san croons, grabbing Kaede's hands and grinning so widely it is kind of concerning. Maybe that youtube-poops-themed all-nighter wasn't a particularly bright idea, Kaede thinks sourly.

"He is," she says and carefully tries freeing her hands. Nope. None of that. Maizono-san looks extremely excited, and there's no escape from her raging optimism, not now.

"So, from now on, yours truly is going to help you get a date with him!" the girl proclaims. "It's my duty as your upperclassman!”

And, just before Kaede can protest, in strolls Mioda-chan, entirely too energetic for such an early hour, and after committing several more felonies on the purity of music, Kaede realizes she's stuck with Maizono-san as her wingman. Wingwoman?

Shoot.

 

* * *

 

Most of the days, the school library is the quietest place in the entire facility, and most of the days that's where Shuichi hides from the overbearing world. Well. Lately, he's been spending less and less time there, thanks to Tenko and Ikusaba-senpai who weren't very fond of his hermit tendencies. 

Turning a page in his book, Shuichi adjusts his headphones and sighs silently. Today, Tenko has a sparring match with Ogami-senpai, so he managed to convince Ikusaba-senpai into spending their free time on reading through his favorite series of detective novels. The girl merely shrugged at his words, muttering something about educating oneself. 

Truth be told, he didn't expect to befriend the soldier girl, nor anyone else from the classes above, and yet… He expressed this thought to Akamatsu-san before, and together they decided it was because of the new headmaster deputy's policy. The man, a former SHSL School Council President, was apparently quite keen on socialization and talked Kirigiri-sensei into organizing a school trip during Shuichi's first year. And, even if all three classes hadn't bonded over intense Pokémon tournaments and entirely unnecessary karaoke, Yukizome-sensei's boisterous attitude would have done the job. The last night of the trip Kirigiri-senpai woke Shuichi up and pulled him outside the hotel so they could spy together on Yukizome-sensei and Munakata-sensei who were… high-fiving each other? And then kissing?

Um. Carefully stopping that train of thought, Shuichi refocuses on his book only to spot, who would've guessed, That One Scene which confirmed his low-key ship as canon.

And, to add insult to injury, his phone happily keeps on playing that playlist titled as 'Moonlight Sonata.' Yeah. The Kaede Playlist. Capital P.

"Hey, Saihara, you okay there?" Ikusaba-senpai pulls out one of his headphones, her freckles moving as she frowns. "You are incredibly red."

"Um," Shuichi says. "Uh."

"...alright?" Ikusaba-senpai goes back to her seat, but she continues gazing at him thoughtfully. "You know, if there's something you'd like to talk about…"

Shuichi opens his mouth to say something. The music changes to an even sappier song. He closes his mouth, then unplugs the headphones and throws his phone at the wall.

Or, more correctly: tries to. Because Ikusaba-senpai one-handedly catches the unfortunate piece of electronics without breaking a sweat. 

"Nice," she says under her breath. Then she moves as if to hand him the phone, but then her sharp eyes focus on the screen. "Moonlight Sonata?" 

If the world were kind, the floor would've opened and allowed Shuichi to leave this conversation. But it didn't, so all he can do is to stare at Ikusaba-senpai's growing smile and try not to blush ever harder. 

"Huh," the girl finally says. "Thanks for confirming my suspicions." 

"Excuse me?" Shuichi lets out weakly. "What do you mean?"

"Hm." Ikusaba-senpai fixes him with her steely gaze, then announces, "I knew there was someone you liked. And, now that I am aware it's Akamatsu… Oh, don't gape at me like that, she literally played that song during her last practical exam. Anyway." She clears her throat. "How about helping you to get together with her?"

"Wh—" Shuichi's ability to analyze the situation cheerfully short-circuits. 

"Why? Because you are a good guy, and seeing you being happy with someone as nice as Akamatsu… Well. Among other things like the fact that I do wish well for you, it'd earn me some good karma." Ikusaba-senpai firmly plants his phone on the table. "So. Would you like me, and possibly some of my friends — they won't know more than necessary, I promise — to help you?"

At first, Shuichi wants to say no, or to cook up a cute little lie. After all, having someone meddle in one's love live — or its lack, thereof — was played as a recipe for disaster in most of the media he was acquainted with.

But then he looks at his phone, sees the title of the song, thinks about that sweet, dreamy bubble the music created, and he thinks about how happy Tojo-san and Amami-kun look together, and he realizes he'd like something like that, too. 

And then he sees the shadow of a smile in Ikusaba-senpai's eyes. 

He nods. 

 

* * *

 

**Sayaka Maizono** _changed the name of the chat to:_ love love peace peace~♥♥♥

**Sayaka Maizono** _changed their name to:_ **S-PSHSLMM**

**S-PSHSLMM** _changed your name to:_ **piano sweetheart**

**piano sweetheart:** um????

**S-PSHSLMM:** hi !!!!! it's time to think of our plan !!!!!

**piano sweetheart:** huh?????????????

**S-PSHSLMM:** awww

**S-PSHSLMM:** kaede don't go makoto on me ;u;;;

**piano sweetheart:** ???? which plan

**piano sweetheart:** and what the heck is your handle???? why this?????????

**S-PSHSLMM:** kaede getcha head in the game  >:v

**piano sweetheart:** hsm quotes???? i'm leaving???

**S-PSHSLMM:** kaede ;-; 

**piano sweetheart:** ok

**piano sweetheart:** so. the plan

**S-PSHSLMM:** ~the valentine's day's near~

**piano sweetheart:** ~last time i tried making sweets i nearly poisoned kiibo~

**S-PSHSLMM:** you did??? 

**piano sweetheart:** well.

**S-PSHSLMM:** guess i'll just ask hanamura-senpai to prepare a box or two

**piano sweetheart:** excellent idea!!! and i'll ask tenko-chan to make sure he won't spice them up with anything funny

**S-PSHSLMM:** ooo: but won't she snitch to saihara-kun???

**piano sweetheart:** ...uh.

**S-PSHSLMM:** ok, i'll promise her &iruma-san a private romantic show or something c:

**piano sweetheart:** but don't you have any plans for that day????

**S-PSHSLMM:** kaede please ;-; i'm working on them. 

**piano sweetheart:** sorry :c 

**S-PSHSLMM:** dw ;-; besides, from what i can tell, /she/ doesn't even like valentine's day

**piano sweetheart:** you can ask her out on the 15th 

**S-PSHSLMM:** i know, sweetie ;-; but my love life is not the topic of today's discussion !!!

**piano sweetheart:** oh right. i. forgot. 

**S-PSHSLMM:** like you forgot about math test a month ago? :3

**piano sweetheart:** maIZONO-SAN

**S-PSHSLMM:** it's me!!!

**piano sweetheart:** it's you

**piano sweetheart:** a good ol' women-loving sayaka maizono

**S-PSHSLMM:** me!!! 

**piano sweetheart:** anyway, there's a nice café just by the campus, i think i'll just ask shuichi to go check it out with me 

**S-PSHSLMM:** and i'll be your backup!!!

**piano sweetheart** : ??? what do you mean by that?

**S-PSHSLMM:** can you give me shirogane-san's phone number? :3

**S-PSHSLMM:** self-proclaimed super high school level matchmaker is ready for her first mission!!!!

**S-PSHSLMM:** just so you know, i look absolutely dashing in a kimono :D

**piano sweetheart:** brb crying

**S-PSHSLMM:** nooo!!!

**piano sweetheart:** maizono-san

**piano sweetheart:** you're a freaking idol and yet you are apparently not willing to ask your gay crush out???

**S-PSHSLMM:** ;-; it's. complicated

**S-PSHSLMM:** ikusaba-chan is uh. somewhat fragile, so, for now, i'm just trying to be her bestest friend

**piano sweetheart:** ...now i'm jealous :c

**S-PSHSLMM:** !!! ;-;

**piano sweetheart:** i'm kidding to hide how my heart has just grown a size, dw c:

**piano sweetheart:** you're absolutely ridiculous, and it's amazing

**S-PSHSLMM:** :D

 

* * *

 

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : hey u awake.

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : It's 3 am

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : and yet ur awake saihara.

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : what tf are u doing.

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : Having a mental breakdown, how about you

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : should i kick down ur door again

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : Please do not

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : so dont be cheeky with me boy

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : I was just. Trying to be as cool as you are

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : .

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : That didn't work, now did it

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : my sweet summer child

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : the cutest little ray of sunshine

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : to-be bf of kaede akamatsu

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : ehh?

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : That's a bit bold

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : but its true mr detective

to ikusaba-senpai: *mr private investigator

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : whatever ur practically kirigiri jr

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : now thats an interesting image

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : I'm going back to sleep goodnight 

_a missed call from_ **ikusaba-senpai**

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : Okay okay i'm not actually sleeping i'm doing homework

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : thats a bit late for u

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : have u spent too much time w/ owada&hoshi mr Delinquent

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : Har har. No, Akamatsu-san asked me to help her with math, so i didn't have the time to focus properly on my own studies

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : did u kiss

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : wh

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : n

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : No!!! We were busy working!!!

from  **ikusaba senpai** : oh

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : ok anyway i got a plan

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : I thought so

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : shut

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : anyway she&u have a table booked in that hipster restaurant no need to thank me

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : Thank you !!!

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : ... stop this or ill believe in good things again

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : Excuse me being nosy, but, from the looks you give maizono-senpai, you're already a goner

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : how did u

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : oh my god is this so obvious

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : i'm sorry! But yes, it is 

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : but not to maizono-senpai from what i can tell

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : saihara u get damn right slammin harsh when ur sleep deprived

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : I'm always sleep deprived

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : anyway on valentines day try cleaning up real nice ill get maizono to ask the same of akamatsu and then ill get u 2 a driver

to  **ikusaba-senpai** : Will the driver be that boxer friend of your sister

from  **ikusaba-senpai** : .

 

* * *

 

The Valentine's day.

Wrinkling her nose, Kaede adjusts the bow on the box of chocolates. Did she maybe go too overboard with decorating? The wrapping paper already looks quite good, in muted wine-red color and pleasantly cool to the touch, the bow is dark gray... Is it too much? Kaede lets out a little scream. It's too much, isn't it?

At least the afternoon classes are canceled (rumors say it's because of Yukizome-sensei and Kizakura-sensei nagging on their respective significant others), so, after homeroom, she can go grab Maizono-san to ask for her opinion. And she can go change to something more flattering than this dull school uniform. And maybe so she can also panic just a little more. 

The homeroom passes quickly, their teacher too focused on his phone. But, at one point, in the spirit of the holiday, he tells them a story about how he met his boyfriend when The Guy was flubbed by his blind date, so Odoroki-sensei, waiting tables at that point of time, left his number in The Guy's sixth glass of water. He looked like a pile of misery, the teacher adds with a shit-eating grin, even for him being a freaking rock star.

"Cute," Amami-kun says, making Tojo-san roll her eyes and squeeze her boyfriend's hand tighter.

"Is anyone hetero here," Ouma wonders. He blinks and adds, "Wait. Nevermind. I'm not, either."

Kaede snickers, then texts Shuichi the poop emoji. His reply is the rainbow emoji.

After the bell, they congregate in the garden, some of them snacking on chocolates, some of them joining the older years in the snowball fight of a century. 

That's Kaede's chance. She sprints to her room, puts on a cute pink sweater, a dotted skirt, a pair of thick tights, and the warmer of her two coats. She sprints back, barely remembering to snatch the cursed box.

In the garden she sees Shuichi holding a bouquet of purple roses and blushing profusely. 

Oh. My god.

"Hi, uh," he says and shuffles on his feet. Then sticks the flowers in Kaede's direction. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day," Kaede stutters back and awkwardly hands him the sweets. The roses smell very fresh and rich when she accepts them, and, whoa. Purple. Love at first sight.

Whoa.

For a moment they just stare at each other, wordless and pink-faced.

Then a snowball soars over their heads, followed by Iruma-san whooping loudly. 

"Fucking finally!" she adds. Chabashira-san pulls her down, whining about dumb girlfriends being dumb.

Kaede says, "Um, so, would you like to—"

"—go on a date with me?" Shuichi finishes. 

"Don't tell me you have this prepared," Kaede chuckles and rests her forehead on his shoulder. Shuichi laughs, brushing his hand over her back.

"I kinda have."

"Me too."

"Whoops."

Then, another snowball flies over them and hits a nearby evergreen bush. Which squeaks.

"What the hell!" Kaede shrieks. 

Out of the bush comes Maizono-san (and she is wearing a kimono, what the hell) and… 

"Ikusaba-senpai?" Shuichi gawks at the girl. Who is all dolled up in combat clothes and face paint.

"Hello," Ikusaba-senpai says flatly. "This didn't quite work like I thought it would." 

"Yeah," Maizono-san adds cheerfully. "We should've worked together, Mukuro-chan." 

To Kaede's surprise, the soldier girl goes red. 

"Yeah, well." She coughs in her first. "So the situation is: we have two booked tables and only one pair of people. And canceling the reservation would be rude."

Maizono-san shrugs helplessly. Kaede thinks, look at this matchmaker, what a—

Wait.

"Well," she says airily. "I do see two pairs." She blinks at their confused expressions, then pulls Shuichi away, her hand over his.

"How does coffee sound?" she asks with a smile. 

He smiles back and twines their fingers together.

"It sounds great."

And they go.

 

* * *

 

The Valentine's Day.

And Mukuro just got played. 

No, that's rude, she didn't. Actually, she's kind of thankful. A bit. 

She texts Saihara, waits for his — prompt as usual — reply, and sighs.

"Alright. The two of them are going to the café."

"Mm," Sayaka says absently, playing with the furry hem of her overcoat. "So we're going to the restaurant — I mean, i-if you want to." 

"Uh." Real smooth there, Ikusaba. Mukuro curses under her breath. "Do you. Want to, I mean?”

"I'd love to," Sayaka says with— whoa. Her smile is so lovely that it'd kill any remains of Mukuro's heterosexuality if there were any left. "And not because it'd be a shame if your efforts went to waste. Well," she chuckles, "Not only because of that. I'd love to go on a date with you, Mukuro-chan."

"I would also love to do so. Have a date with you," Mukuro manages. Then, because to hell with it, she says, "You look breathtaking. Today. Uh, it's not like you usually don't, but right now… you're even prettier!" 

Sayaka grins, bouncing on her feet. 

"You're also beautiful, but…" she tucks a strand of hair that escaped from her bun, behind her ear. "You should, uh, perhaps consider washing your face."

"Ah, you're right. Give me a—" Mukuro's phone buzzes. She unlocks it and sees a new message.

 

from **sakakura** : where the fuck are those kids

to  **sakakura** : they bolted but im taking a friend there for a date

from  **sakakura** : that maizono girl.

from  **sakakura** : your sister told me

 

Mukuro shuts her mouth. Of course. Junko told him. Well, she meant well, after all.

 

from  **sakakura** : anyway get your collective asses over here or youre gonna be late

to  **sakakura** : k be there soon

 

"Our ride is pissed off," Mukuro says, grabbing a handful of snow and scrubbing the paint off her face. "Forgive me, but I don't think there's time for me to change into something more… fitting." She shakes the icy water off her hands.

"Are you kidding me? I'm wearing a damn kimono, we're going to look astounding." Sayaka playfully hip-checks her. "Besides, we're from Hope's Peak, that's our excuse."

Torn between rolling her eyes and laughing out loud, Mukuro simply holds Sayaka's hand and says,

"So let's go."

"Let's go," Sayaka agrees, her fingers firm in the grip. Mukuro smiles and silently thanks Saihara for being a lovely little emo shit.

And they go.

**Author's Note:**

> a/n
> 
>   * no warnings.
>   * formating is. well. you see how it looks like. hope it's fine????
>   * also - please [check out this ikuzono discord](https://discord.gg/Q9beAZ3), we make memes and cry a lot it's fun i promise
>   * edit: i swapped tenhimi to tenko/miu bc why the heck not
> 



End file.
